Toy compressed-air pistol



Jan. 22, 1952 R. BOULET TOY COMPRESSED-AIR PISTOL 2 SHEETS- SHEET lV Filed Aug. 29, 1946 s i, W wm. uw m52? -QL mg,

Jan. 22, 1952 R, BOULE-r 2,583,463

TOY COMPRESSED-AIR PISTOL Filed Aug. 29, 1946 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 MQ D@ ai. @s

E A Bv L QL In: 4 fry Patented Jan. 22, 1952 TOY COMPRESSED-AIR PISTOL Ren Boulet, Paris, France Application August 29, 1946, Serial No. 693,762 In France November 22, 1945 7 Claims.

My invention has for its object to provide a new device which makes it possible to throw small projectiles, preferably round ones or of a form suitable to enable them to pass through a circular hole, by means of compressed air, which may be produced or delivered by any suitable means, such asAbellows, rubber hand-ball, piston pump, storing iiask or simply from the lungs through the medium of the mouth or by any other means.

This device forI projecting small missiles through the action of a compressed gasiform fluid comprises, in combination with a barrel and an elastic throttling member for the missile holding same back until thepressure of the fluid allows the missile to pass through said throttling member, a breech enclosing av chamber adapted to receive at least one of the missiles to be projected and opening into the barrel through one or more elastic retaining washers forming the throttling member, while said charnber opens at its opposite end through a perforation of restricted cross-sectional area provided in a covering member and opening into a preliminary chamber communicating with a container for the provision of missiles to be projected and with the admission of the compressed aeriform fluid that is adapted to project the missiles out of their container into the rst mentioned chamber through said restricted perforation and thence through the throttling member out of the barrel of the pistol or the like missile projecting device.

The projectiles used may be of very small dimensions, such as small shot; they may be stored in bulk and in a large quantity in the compressed air producing system, in order to obtain a protracted shooting.

The device may be realized under the form of various toys, such as pitsols, guns, cigaretteholders, etc. and also of sporting and offensive arms.

The invention provides also means by which it is possible to vary at will the throwing force.

Furtherfeatures and advantages of the invention will be gathered from the following specification and from the drawings, in which the invention is illustrated by Way of example:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view with a part sectional View of a compressed air pistol in the shooting position.

Fig. la. shows a modication of Fig. l.

Fig. 2 is an elevational sectional view of the breech on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 3 shows, partly in section, the rear part o'f the pistol in the charging position.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the front end of the tube and the plug maintaining this end.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View showing the various parts forming the breech.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a transprojectiles in the charging chamber.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cigarette holder associated with a device according to my invention.

Figs. 8 to 15 are longitudinal sectional views of breeches showing various possibilities ofadjustment and arrangement.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the pistol comprises a moulded body made, for instance, of a light metal and comprising the butt 3|, a gun-casing 32 and a trigger-guard 33. A bore 34 provided in the butt serves as a magazine containing the projectiles 35 of which a large number as, for

instance, 500 small round shot pieces can be.

located therein. Said magazine is closed at its lower end by a plug 35 having external threads 3l screwed into corresponding internal threads oi. the body 3|.

The tube 38 is maintained in the casing 32 at its front end by a plug 39 having external threads 40 screwed into internal threads `of the front end of the casing 32. The front end of the tube 38 has a conical part 4| engaging a corresponding recess of the plug 39 for insuring its centering. At its rear end the tube 38 is fast with a collar 42 bearing through the medium of a sealing washer 43 against a shoulder 44 formed in the casing 32. Beyond said shoulder the tube 38 is provided with a sleeve 45 terminating in an externally threaded part 46. The bore of the gun, which is designated by 41, is ilared in its rear part in the sleeve 42` in order to form a ifrusto-l conical part 48 and an enlarged cylindrical part 49. A flexible diaphragm 50 is placed against a shoulder 5| formed between the cylindrical part 49 and a cylindrical part 52 having a larger diameter.

The diaphragm 5U is provided with a central hole 53 the diameter of which is smaller than that of the small spherical shot 35 forming the threads onto which a nut 51 is screwed, said nut being closed in its rear part by wall 5l' provided with a central opening the diameter of which is slightly larger than that of a shot piece 54. The wall 5l offers a certain concavity which facilitates the guiding of the shot towards the hole 58. The nut 5l is advantageously knurled for facilitating its unscrewing.

The rear part of the body comprises an opening for the mounting and for charging the projectiles 35; the cylindrical wall of said opening is internally threaded and a closing plug B0 having external threads 59 is screwed thereinto. The butt 3| is provided with a recess 3 having a suitable shape for receiving a hand-ball 6|, the open circular edge 5| of which is introduced by a simple insertion into a groove 62 of a button with two cones 63 provided with an sage passing through the button B3 and opening into the compression chamber 35 in which the nut-51 is located and screwed onto the breech.

According to the modiiication of Fig. la the screw 64 formed on the button 33 has an appreciable width so as to -for-m at the end of said button a plate |66 which can be covered with a sealing material 61 and forms a seat for a valve such as a ball |58 urged by a spring |53 resting on a shoulder ofthe body.

The manufacture and the mounting of said pistol are particularly easy. If fact, it is sufficient to introduce the tube 38 provided with the unit shown in Fig. 2 into the bore of the moulded body until its collar 42 comes to rest through the medium of the joint 43 onto the shoulder 44. The plug 65 provided with a sealing washer is then screwed in place. For charging the arm with projectiles it is sufficient to unscreW one of the plugs 33 or 63 and after having introduced the projectiles into the bore 34 or 65 to replace in its position the plug which had been removed. Finally, the plug.33 of the hand-ball is set in position for instance by screwing Yit into the body which comprises an internally threaded hole for this purpose.

For graduating the force with which the proe jectile is thrown, diaphragms 50 of various flexibilities can be used. It is also possible selectivelyl to place one or more diaphragms of a given flexibility in the charging chamber in order` to graduate the resistance of said diaphragms and, consequently, the compressed air pressure generated behind it before the projectile can pass through said diaphragms, which has for its Veiect to adjust the force with rwhich it is thrown.

For arming said pistol, i. e. for bringing a projectile into the Vcharging chamber, it is sufcient to tilt it for bringing it to the position shown in Fig. 3 so that a shot piece 35 passes through the hole 58 provided in the middle of the wall 51' of the nut 51. When said shot is introduced into the charging chamber 53 ,the arm is held upright again. For shooting the fingers of the hand which holds theY pistol are pressed into the ball 5| so that the air delivered bysaid ball generates a pressure of compressed air in the chamber 65, in the magazine 34 and in the chamber 55 while pushing the introduced shot 54V against the hole 53 of the diaphragm or diaphragms 50, which has a smaller diameter. When the air pressure is sumcient for overcoming the rsistance of said diaphragm the shot drives asunder the edges of vthe Vhole of the latter and passes through the same, the air stored behind Y it insuring'its projection.

The plugs 33 and 60 can be made advantageously of a plastic material while the body 3|, 38 is, for instance, moulded and made of a light metal. i

According to a modification shown in Fig. 6 a plug 63 made of a transparent plastic material is substituted for the plug 65. It is thus possible 4 ing forms of execution. A magazine |33 is provided in the portion |26 of the body.

vWith said cigarette-holder a cigarette |34 is used'which is formed ona tube of light cardboard or other combustible material |35 threaded onto theend of the gun-tube |33. Holes |36 provided in the tube |35 make it also possible to breathe in the smoke and the gun-tube |30 always extends into a portion of the combustible ytube |35, Which renders possible a sure throwing of the projectiles, the tube |35 burning simultaneously with the cigarette.

Figs. 8 to 15 show various means making it possible to vary the throwing force in one and the same arm or other projectile throwing device by varying the resistance of the elastic diaphragms. According to Fig. 8 a single resilient washer |31 kis placed in the loading chamber |38 in which it rests against a shoulder |39 of the breech |40. A barrel 4| screwed into said breech with an enlarged part |42 makes it possible to compress the resilientl washer |31 more or less. In the position of Fig. 8 in which said washer is practically not compressed the projectile in order to pass through the same has to overcome only its resilient resistance determined by its thickness, on the one hand, and by the ratio between the diameter of the hole |31 of the Washer and the diameter of the projectile, on the other hand.

Contrary to this, according to Fig. 9, the washer |31 is strongly compressed by the part |42 of the tube against the shoulder |33 of the breech so thata bead |31l forms which offers an increased resistance per se and which, furthermore, reduces the section of the hole |31', both said conditions having for their combined effect considerably to increase the resistanceroered by the resilient washer to the passage of the projectile.

Thus, with a given resilient washer one `can vary in a continuous mannerrbetween two limits, a maximum and a minimum, the resistance opposed to the passage of a projectile and, consequently, the force with which said projectile is thrown. It is obvious that it would be possible to provide two or `more washers side by side instead of one and to exert on the whole of these washers the same graduated compression effect as that which has been described with reference to the single washer |31. By means of thebutton |03 which is formed at the end of the tube and which can be knurled it is possible to turn the tube from the outside and to screw the boss |42 more or less for adjusting the compression of the washer Figs. 10 to 13 show another mode of graduation of the resistance opposed to the passage of the projectile and,ac cordingly, of the force necessary for throwing the latter in one and the same breech. The loading chamber formed between the breech |43 and the cap |44 screwed thereon and comprising the funnel |45 with a hole |33 for the introduction of the projectile |41 contains a certain number of resilient washers |43, |49, |5|i,`intercalary metallic washers |5i, |52 and a metallic washer |53 intended for receiving a projectile. Y

In the position of Fig. `10 the three resilient washers |43, |49, are placed side by side, thus forming a thick layer of resilient material through` which the projectile |41 must pass right away. i'

In Fig. 11 only two resilient washers |48, |49 are joined side by side, then theyare separated from the third resilient washer |55 through, the

' only of two washers IBI,

capacity of the loading chamber which thus rej ceives two projectiles |41, |41. The three resilient -washers are placed side by side.

Figs. 14 and 15 show another mode of graduation of the resistance offered by a resilient washer and of variation of the capacity of the loading chamber. In this case, the breech |54 with a cap |55 contains a resilient washer |56, three supiVv porting washers |51, |58, |59`the holes of which have different diameters and three washers forv the loading chambers |65, |6|, |62.

In the position of Fig. 14 the resilient washer is" placed behind the intercalary washer |59 the hole of which has the smallest diameter so that it'is strongly maintainedby the large surface of said washer and oifersa strong resistance to the passage of the projectile |63. In Fig. 15, on the contrary, the washer |56 is placed behind the intercalary washer |51 the hole of which hasthey largest diameter so that it is maintained only onv its periphery by the latter and offers, consequently, only its own resilient resistance to the passage of the projectile. It would also be possible for obtaining an intermediary degree of resistance to place the middle washer `|58A against the resilient washer |56.

' Likewise, in the case of Fig. 14, a single loading chamber washer |62 is provided behind the resilient washer, thus providing a loading chamber'which can receive only a single projectile |63. In the case of Fig. 15 the three washers |60, IGI, |62 are placed side by side which renders possible the simultaneous introduction and projection of a plurality of projectiles such as |63, |64,` |65. The loading chambers could as well be formed |62 for throwing two projectiles.

f These are, moreover, non-limitative examples and it is possible without departing from?V the" scope and `spirit of the invention to provide any` desired number of resilient washers, of intercalary` graduating the resistance offered to the projecf.A

tiles, and, on the other hand, for determining at will the `number of projectiles which are thrown simultaneously.

The invention makes it possible to obtain not only toy-arms but also true offensive or hunting arms by providing resilient washers `of a sunlcient force and a corresponding compressed air pressure. The same arm can be used forthese various purposes simply by graduating the resistanceof the resilient washers through one o f the described means. p A' V Moreover, various modicationscan be brought to the described examples of executionV without departing from the scope and spirit of the invenf tion.

I claim: i 1. In a toy pistol for projectingsmall spherical missiles through the operationbf 'a compressed aeriform fluid, the combination of a projecting barrel, an elastic axially perforated throttling member associated with the inner rear end of said barrel, the perforation of said member being normally Vsmaller than the diameter of the missile and adapted to open for allowing the passage of a missile urged against it by a sufcient fluid pressure, a loading chamber to the rear of said throttling member adapted to house a limitecl number of missiles and provided in its rear wall with a perforation registering with that in the throttling member and large enough to permit a missile to pass therethrough with slight clearance, a larger chamber on both sides of the throttling member surrounding laterally and rearwardly the first chamber, a receiver for loose missiles opening unrestrictedly to the` rear of the first chamber into the part of the second chamber that is normally at the lower `end of the latter, and hand operated means for feeding compressed aeriform iluid into saiol second chamber independently of the opening of the receiver into same.

2. In a toy pistol for projecting small spherical missiles through the operation of a compressed aeriform fluid, the combination of a projecting barrel, an elastic axially perforated throttling member including at least one flat washer cut out of a sheet of elastic material associated with the inner end of said barrel, and the perforation of said member being normally smaller vthan the diameter of the missile and adapted `to open for allowing the passage of a missile urged against said member by a suincient fluid pressure, a loading chamber to the rear of said throttling member, closed partially by the latter, adapted to house a limited numberof missiles and provided in its rear wall with a perforation registering with that in the throttling member and large enough to permit a missile to pass therethrough with slight clearance, a larger chamber on both sides of the throttling member surrounding laterally and rearwardly the first chamber, a receiver for loose missiles opening unrestrictedly to the rear of the first chamber into the part of the second chamber that is normally at the lower end of the latter, and hand operated means for feeding compressed aeriform fluid into said second chamber independently of theopening of the receiver. u

3. In a toy pistol for projecting smallspherical missiles through the operation of a `compressed aeriform fluid, the combination of a projecting barrel, an elastic axially perforated throttling member associated with the inner end of said barrel, the perforation of said member .being normally smaller than the diameter of the` missile and adapted to open for allowing the passage of a missile urged against said member by a suff`1 cient fluid pressure, a loading .chamber to the rear of said throttling member `including an outwardly threaded tubular member rigid with the barrel in which the throttling `member is fitted and a nut shaped member screwed over said tubular member and provided with an axially perforated outwardly concave partially closed end,

allowing the passage of a missile with slight clearance and at least one rigid annular washer urged by the perforated end of the` nut shaped member against the tubular member, a larger chamberv on both sides of the throttling member surrounding4 laterally and rearwardly the ilrst chamber,` a receiver for loose missiles opening unrestrictedly to the rear of the rst chamber into thepart of the secondlchamber that is normally at the lower-` end of the latter, and hand operated means for feeding compressed aeriform iluid into said sec* ond chamber independently of the 'openingof the receiver. Y '1 4. `In a toy pistol for projecting small spherical y missilesthroughthe,operation of` a compressed aeriform fluid, the combination of a projecting barrel, an elas-tic axially perforated throttling member associatedY with the-inner end of said barrel, theA perforation Vof, which is normally smaller than the diameter of the missile and is adaptedy to open for allowing the `passage of a missileurged against it by av sumcient irluid pressure, Va 'loading chamber to the rear of said throttling member including anV outwardly threaded tubular member rigid with the barrel in which the throttling member is tted and a nut shaped member Vscrewed over said tubular member and provided with an axially perforated outwardly concave partially closed end, allowing the passage of a missile withslight clearance and a plurality of intermediary rigid spacing annular washers urged by the perforated end of the nut shaped member against the tubular member, a larger chamber on .both sides ofthe throttling member surrounding laterally and rearwardly `the first chamber, a receiver for loose missiles opening unrestrictedly to the rear of the first chamber into thel part Vof 4the second chamber that is normally at the lower end of the latter, and hand operated means for feeding compressed aeriform fluid into said second chamberV independently of the opening of the receiver.

,5; In a toy pistol for projecting small spherical missiles through the operation of a compressed aeriform uid, the combination of Ya projecting barrel, an elastic axially perforated throttling member includinga plurality ofadjacent annular'washers of differentdiameters associatedv with the inner end of saidfbarrel, the opening in at least'Y one washer being normally smaller than'the diameter of the missile and being adapted jto open for allowingy the passage of a missile urged against it by a suicient fluid pressure, a loading Ychamber Yto the rear of said throttling member partially closed by the latter, adapted to house a limited number of missiles and provided in its rear wall with a perforation registering with thatin the throttling .member and large enough to permit a missile to pass Y therethrough with slight clearance, a larger chamber on bothsides of the throttling member surrounding laterallyr and rearwardly the `iirst chamber, a receiver for loose missiles opening unrestrictedly to the rear of the 'first chamber into the part of the second chamber that isnormallylat the lowerend of the latter, and hand operated means forv feeding compressed a'erifor'm' iluidv intoA said lsecond chamber. independently of the opening'of lthereceiver Y v6. Ina toy pistol for projecting small spherical missiles through the operation ofV a compressed aeriform uid, thev combination of a projecting barrel, an relastic axially` perforated. throttling member, associated with the innerrear end of said barrel, the perforationof which is normally smaller than the diameter of the missile and is adapted-.to open for allowing the passage of a missile urged against it by a sufficient uidpressure, a loading chamber to the rear of said throttling member partially closed by the latter, adapted to house a limited number of missiles andv provided in its rear wall with a .perforation register-ing with that in the throttling member and large enough to permit a missile to pass? therethrough withV slight clearance, az ring shaped stop member engaging the outer'periphery of the rear end of the barrel for carrying same, amolded body provided with a bore adapted to house the barrel andthe loading chamber and engaging duid-tightly the stop member throughout its outer. periphery, said molded body'dening further a receiver for missiles opening unrestrictedly in the'bore to the rear of the stop member and a further recess opening into the bore to the rear of the stop member, a compressible; member adapted to be compressed by hand housedin said recess and adapted to produce compressed air `and to deliversame unrestrictedly through the recess opening into the bore and thence into theloading chamber through last'mentioned perforation therein, and a plug for closing the front outer end of the bore and carrying removably the outer end of the barrel. Y

7. -In a toy pistol for projecting small spherical missiles through the operation of a compressed aeriform ilud, the combination of aprojecting barrel, an elastic axially perforatedthrottling member associated-with the inner rear'end of said barrel, the perforation of which is normally smaller than the diameterv of the missile and is adapted to open for allowing the passage of a missile against it by a suflicient fluid pressure, a loading chamber to the rear of said throttling member thatcloses partially the front of said chamber, said chamber adapted to house a limited number of missiles, being provided in its rear wall with a perforation registering with that in the throttling member and large enough to permit a missile to pass through said perforation with slight clearance, a, ring shaped stop member engaging the outer periphery ofthe rear end of the barrel for holding same, a molded body provided with arbore adapted to house the barrel and the loading chamber andengaging fluid tightly ,the stop member throughoutits outer periphery, said molded body dening further a receiver for missiles opening unrestrictedly in the bore to the rear of the stopmember and a further recess opening into .the bore to the rear of the stop member, a compressible member adapted to be compressed byvhand housed in said recess and adaptedto produce .compressed air and to deliver same unrestrictedly through the recess openingintothe bore and thence into the loading 'chamber vthrough last mentioned perforation therein, a' plug for closing the front outer end of the bore andholding removably the outer 4end of thebarrel, the wall of the molded body be- Number Name y,

n 387,517 Jackson 7.--- Aug. 7, 1888 1,309,321 Fairweather r July, 8, 1919 1,375,653 McLain et al. en -1 Apr. 19, 1921 1,477,698 Emmelin Dec'. 18`, 1923 2,306,668 Stevens Dec. 29, 1942 2,307,015 l. Boynton Jan. 5,; 1943 2,357,951 iHale Sept. 12, 1944k 

